NATIONAL BEAN PRODUCTION IN 1929 



A crop of 19,337,000 bushels of dry edible beans was grown in 1929 in the 

 states that produce beans on a commercial basis. This quantity is 1,680,000 bushels 

 greater than the crop of 1928 when net imports of about a million bushels addi- 

 tional were required to meet domestic needs. National production of beans in 1928 

 aggregated 17,656,000 bushels and in 1927, 16,181,000 bushels. Average production 

 of all beans during the five years 1924-1928 was 17,327,000 bushels. Supplemented 

 by net imports the average annual supply for domestic consumption during this 

 5-year period was about 18,000,000 bushels. Consumption of beans, however, 

 tends to increase at the rate of about 500,000 bushels annually. During the period 

 July 1, 1928, to July 1, 1929, a net total of 18 550,000 bushels moved into con- 

 sumptive channels. The total United States production of 19,337,000 bushels in 

 1929 is closely in line with present domestic requirements. 



The December 1 average price to producers in the United States for their 

 1929 crop was $3.77 per bushel, compared with $4.18 in 1928, and $2.88 in 1927. 

 In Montana, growers on this date were receiving an average of $3.60, compared 

 with $3.85 a year ago, while in Idaho the price to growers was $2.75 compared 

 with $3.60 a year ago, and in Wyoming $3.10, compared with $3.40 last year. 



SEED AND CANNING PEAS 



Due to fairly attractive prices being offered by seed houses and canners, 

 acreages of seed and canning peas increased about 25 per cent over those of 1928. 

 Yields were somewhat below those obtained in 1928 but production and total 

 value reflected the increased acreage and better prices. 



The total value of pea production for both seed and canning peas was 

 $1,046,000 in 1929, compared with $873,000 in 1928, and $687,000 for the 1927 

 crop. 



Acreage of seed peas declined from 28,000 acres in 1925 to 14,000 acres in 

 1927, but increased again in 1928 to 19,000 acres, and in 1929 the acreage was 

 placed at 24,000. The acreage of canning peas increased from 2,800 acres in 1927 

 to 4,200 acres in 1929. Further increases in seed pea acreage will probably result 

 if the 1930 contract prices are as favorable to growers as were those in 1929. 

 Practically all the seed peas grown in the state after the canning acreage de- 

 mand is met, are shipped to other states. 



Three factories are now located in Montana and are at Bozeman, Red Lodge 

 and Stevensville. Montana conditions are favorable for the production of both 

 seed and canning peas, offering a cash crop to irrigated farmers in the higher 

 valleys of south central and western Montana. 



CORN 



Corn acreage in 1929 increased about 10 per cent over that of 1928. Acreage 

 harvested in 1929 was estimated at 301,000 acres against 274,000 acres in 1928; 

 305,000 in 1927; 359,000 in 1926 and 420,000 in 1924, which was the peak of the 

 upward trend in corn acreage that set in immediately after the close of the war. 



Acre yields in 1929 fell below those of 1928 due to drought conditions in 

 the large corn producing areas, that is, eastern and northeastern Montana. Yield 

 for the state was estimated at 12.0 bushels compared with 19.0 in 1928 and the 

 10-year average of 17.6 bushels. 



Quality of the 1929 crop, while somewhat above that of the year previous, was 

 still below the 10-year average. Reporters' estimates for 1929 gave 54 per cent 

 of the crop of grain com as being of merchantable quality compared with 49 per 

 cent in 1928 and the 10-year average of 66 per cent. 



The bulk of the com acreage in Montana is usually cut for forage, grazed or 

 hogged off, the percentage utilized in this manner being reported as 62.0 per cent 

 in 1927 with 4.0 per cent being cut for silage and 34.0 per cent cut for grain. 



Utilization of corn acreages in Montana for the years during which this data 

 was collected is shown herewith: 



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